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Endocardial cushion defect is an abnormal heart condition which occurs during the development of the baby. In this condition there is no separation between the chambers of the heart. Without the separation, oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood mix causing the heart to work harder. Endocardial cushion defect is strongly associated with several genetic abnormalities.
Review Date 6/1/2026
Updated by: Thomas S. Metkus, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
